Barbarian Announces Wave of New Hires and Promotions

First row left to right: Sarah Sharp, Ben Kravitz and Danielle Parkes. Second row left to right: Jake Doran, Madeline Mulvey and Carlo Montagnino

Today, digital agency Barbarian announces a wave of executive leadership and team changes including two new hires and four promotions. Danielle Parkes joins as executive director of growth and marketing alongside Jake Doran as director of UX design. Ben Kravitz has been promoted to executive director of experience and innovation, Carlo Montagnino to director of technology, Sarah Sharp to group creative director (GCD) and Madeline Mulvey to associate manager of growth and marketing. These additions and promotions highlight Barbarian’s ongoing growth and lay the foundation for the agency’s future success.

“It’s an incredibly exciting moment for Barbarian as we announce this new wave of hires and promotions,” said Joe Maglio, CEO of Barbarian, CEO of McKinney and president of Cheil North America. “Each of these individuals embody our commitment to innovation, growth and leadership. Ben, Carlo, Sarah and Madeline have each played crucial roles in shaping the agency’s vision and driving our success so far. Barbarian has always been about blending tech and creativity to help forward thinking brands connect with consumers in meaningful and sometimes surprising ways, this cohort of leaders understands that mission — this group is well positioned to push the boundaries of what a modern agency can deliver for brands who are bold enough to do more.” 

Focusing on marketing and new business, Danielle Parkes joins Barbarian as executive director of growth and marketing. Danielle brings an impact-led approach to creative storytelling to and will be responsible for developing and activating Barbarian’s value proposition, bolstering the pitch process and implementing growth strategies across customer experience, digital marketing, creative innovation and emerging technology. With 14 years of experience, Danielle most recently served as head of business development for Deloitte Digital’s agency practice where she spearheaded key sales and go-to-market initiatives across creative, data and technology. 

Joining as director of UX design, Jake Doran brings over 17 years of experience in experience design and strategy to the agency. Jake will be responsible for building out the agency’s experience design team and integrating it into the culture of the agency. His key focus will be on Barbarian’s well-known financial services client and Samsung. Prior to joining Barbarian, Jake freelanced at various agencies and held product design roles at Rivian and Aurora Solar. He has worked with brands such as Nike, ESPN, Uber Eats, Old Spice, Budweiser, Google, Heineken and YouTube. 

With Barbarian’s DNA rooted in innovating how brands and consumers interact, the agency created the new role of executive director of experience and innovation. In this role, Ben Kravitz will be responsible for cultivating the agency’s approach, teams and processes to create meaningful interactions for its clients' businesses — driving acquisition, retention and revenue growth. Previously a group account director, Ben will now lead integrated teams across the agency’s data, insights, design, storytelling and technology practices to help shape the agency’s services and solutions. 

Carlo Montagnino is stepping into the role of director of technology. Tasked with leading the technology end of the agency’s innovation practice as well as working within the experience practice, Carlo will bridge the agency’s technical implementation practices with its established marketing and innovation practices. As a creative problem solver with a background in retail marketing, Carlo brings a unique perspective to this role. He will lead both creative technology projects and traditional implementations — balancing imaginative solutions with practical execution to provide value for clients. 

Leading with optimism, clarity and growth, Sarah Sharp has been promoted to group creative director. Formerly a creative director, Sarah will now oversee the agency’s financial services and security technology clients, while providing support across the creative practice. With a focus on storytelling, Sarah will guide every team, project and concept to a clear narrative arc that informs the agency’s thinking and meets clients’ needs with exceptional work.

Assuming the newly created role of associate manager of growth and marketing after serving as marketing coordinator and content creator, Madeline Mulvey, will be involved in the agency’s growth strategy, working across all practices to shape its positioning. Blending creative storytelling with strategic growth, Madeline will build and maintain relationships with prospects, plan and implement new marketing initiatives, collaborate with external partners and oversee the agency’s social media strategy and execution — championing the agency’s vision and impact. She will work under the direction of the agency’s newly appointed executive director of growth and marketing, Danielle Parkes. 

Following the agency’s acquisition of g-Innovations last year, Barbarian is continuing to blend extensive tech capabilities with creative excellence.